Bridge in Rodewisch: 11.7 million euros for a silent structure!

Bridge in Rodewisch: 11.7 million euros for a silent structure!

In Rodewisch, a municipality in the Saxon Vogtland, a brand new bridge has stood since 2023, but it is unused and rotting overgrown. This bridge, which crosses the Göltzsch, is key infrastructure as part of the Göltzschtal bypass, a project that stretches a total of 10.3 kilometers. The goal? The relief of through traffic in the neighboring towns of Falkenstein, Ellefeld, Auerbach and Rodewisch, which together are home to around 33,500 residents. According to Bild, the construction of this bridge was completed at a cost of 11.7 million euros in order to be able to start the road construction work north of the bridge early.

The federal government has already responded to a small question from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, which highlights the current status of expansion and new construction projects in Saxony. The insights from the investment framework plan for the years 2019 to 2023 underline the importance of these projects in the transport infrastructure plan, with basic costs of up to 85.5 million euros for the entire Göltzschtal bypass set. A further incentive for this comprehensive work is the economic viability of the planned projects, which is continually reviewed, as Bundestag reports.

Planned connection and delays

According to current plans, federal highway 94 will run over the new bridge from 2027. However, there is considerable public criticism of the premature construction of the bridge, which many consider to be a waste of money. Over 90 percent of the main line has already been completed; Construction work began in 2014. The final construction phase, which is not due to be completed until 2028 due to delays, is still being planned. This results in the bridge being completed prematurely without traffic being able to use it yet.

In order to alleviate this situation a little, when the bridge is being built, care will be taken to ensure that access to properties via the Walzweg is guaranteed by a temporary bridge. According to the latest information on the website of the State Office for Road Construction and Transport in Saxony, the span of the bridge will be around 38 meters and the width will be around 17 meters. These technical details were crucial in order to make the connection to the B 94 possible, according to the findings from Landschaftsverband Sachsen.

An uncertain outlook

The project's reduction in through traffic is considered essential, but the delays raise questions. When will the bridge finally fulfill its purpose? It could still be some time before the Göltzschtal bypass is fully operational and the investments pay off. The residents are impatient and hope for a quick agreement so that they can finally take advantage of the newly built infrastructure.